Forestry 280 Features of Woods 57-74

1. Forestry 280Features of Woods 57-74

2. Avg. SG: 0.62 Heartwood Color: Light to dark brown or reddish brown Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous Pores: Small to medium, solitary or in radial multiples of 2 to several; with lens, pore diameters clearly greater than ray width; some pores appear to be filled with whitish substance #57: Yellow Birch Betula alleghaniensis

3. #58: Paper Birch Betula papyrifera • Like yellow birch, except that heartwood is lighter and less yellow in color • Don’t separate Yellow from Paper birch (#57 and 58)

4. Avg. SG: 0.41 Heartwood Color: Pale tan when freshly cut darkening w/age to light reddish brown Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous Pores: Small, solitary and in mostly radial multiples Rays: Large aggregate rays widely scattered but easily seen w/o lens #59: Red Alder Alnus rubra

5. Avg. SG: 0.64 Heartwood Color: Creamy white w/reddish tinge to medium reddish brown Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous; growth rings distinct Pores: Small, solitary and in irregular multiples and clusters; numerous and evenly distributed throughout most of the ring; narrow but distinct latewood in each ring having fewer, smaller pores Rays: Largest rays conspicuous on all surfaces; darker ray fleck against lighter background on radial surfaces #60: American Beech Fagus grandifolia

6. #61: Magnolia Magnolia grandiflora • Diffuse porous; pores small and evenly distributed throughout growth ring • Heartwood color variable from yellowto greenish black • Marginal parenchyma create whitish lines at growth ring boundaries

7. Avg. SG: 0.42 Heartwood Color: Green, or yellow to tan w/greenish cast Sapwood Color: Creamy white Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous; growth rings delineated by distinct light cream or yellowish line of marginal parenchyma Pores: Small, solitary, but mostly in radial or irregular multiples and small clusters Rays: Distinct on cross section w/lens; produce conspicuous fine light ray fleck on radial surface #62: Yellow Poplar Liriodendron tulipifera

8. #63: California laurel Umbellularia californica • Wood heavy, hard • “Relatively few pores” • Pores encircled by vasicentric parenchyma gives appearance of a whitish sheath around pores and pore multiples • Heartwood may have a “spicy” or “wintergreen” odor

9. Avg. SG: 0.52 Heartwood Color: Grey or reddish brown, sometimes w/variegated pigment Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous Pores: Very small, numerous, solitary and in multiples and small clusters, often in intermittent radial chains Rays: Very fine, not distinct even w/hand lens DON’T SEPARATE from #71, Black Gum/Tupelo #64: Sweetgum or RedgumLiquidambar styraciflua

10. Avg. SG: 0.49 Heartwood Color: Light to dark brown, usually w/reddish cast Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous; growth rings distinct d/t unusual lighter color of latewood Pores: Small, solitary and in irregular multiples and clusters, numerous and evenly distributed throughout most of the growth ring Rays: Easily visible w/o lens on all surfaces, appearing uniform in size and evenly spaced on transverse and tangential surfaces, producing conspicuous dark ray fleck on radial surfaces # 65: Sycamore Platanus occidentalis

11. #66: Holly Ilex opaca • Wood hard and heavy • Very light colored heartwood, “ivory white” • Narrow and broad rays • Pores arranged in long radial strings

12. Avg. SG: 0.63 Heartwood Color: Creamy white to light reddish brown Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous; growth rings distinct due to darker brown narrow latewood line Pores:Small, with largest approximately equal to maximum ray width in cross section; solitary or in radial multiples; very evenly distributed Rays: Visible to eye on tangential surface as very fine, even-sized, evenly distributed lines; on radial surfaces, ray fleck usually conspicuous DON’T SEPARATE from soft maple (#68) #67: Sugar Maple Acer saccharum(hard maple)

13. Heartwood Color: Creamy white to light reddish brown, commonly with grayish cast or streaks Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous Pores: Small, solitary and in radial multiples, very evenly distributed; largest as large or slightly larger than widest rays on cross section Rays: May be visible on tangential surface as very fine, even-sized and evenly spaced lines; on radial surfaces, ray fleck usually conspicuous DON’T SEPARATE from hard maple, #67 #68: Red Maple Acer rubrum(Soft maple)

14. #69: Buckeye Aesculus octandra, A. glabra • Heartwood creamy white to yellowish white, often with darker streaks • Fine, closely-spaced rays • Marginal parenchyma form whitish lines at growth ring boundaries • Wood light and soft • Look for RIPPLE MARKS on tangential surface

15. Heartwood Color: Creamy white to pale brown Wood is relatively easy to cut & carve Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous; growth rings indistinct or faintly delineated by marginal parenchyma, sometimes w/blurry whitish spots along growth ring Pores: Small, mostly in irregular multiples and clusters Rays: Distinct but not conspicuous on transverse surface with lens; look for ray fleck on radial surfaces #70: Basswood Tilia americana

16. Avg. SG: 0.50 Heartwood Color: Medium grey or grey with green or brown cast Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous Pores: Very small, numerous, solitary and in multiples and small clusters Rays:Barely visible even with hand lens; closely spaced, appearing to make up half of the transverse surface DON’T SEPARATE from #64 (Sweetgum) #71: Black Tupelo Nyssa sylvatica

17. Avg. SG: 0.73 Heartwood Color: Dark brown Sapwood Color: Creamy w/flesh or pinkish cast Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous Pores: Very small, mostly solitary with some radial multiples Rays: Approximately as wide or wider than largest pores #72: Dogwood Cornus florida

18. #73: Honduras mahogany Swietenia macrophylla (or Tropical American mahogany) • Heartwood reddish brown • Pores visible to eye, rather circular in cross-section, solitary and in multiples • Ripple marks often observed on tangential-longitudinal surfaces

19. Avg. SG: 0.46 Heartwood: Pale grayish or yellowish brown w/pinkish cast and silvery sheen Growth Rings: Not distinct Pores: Medium-large to very large, distinct w/o lens, solitary and in radial groups of 2-3 Gum Ducts: In long tangential lines, embedded in bands of parenchyma; free of contents Parenchyma: Vasicentric and aliform with short wings Rays: Barely visible without lens; forms distinctive ray fleck on radial-longitudinal surfaces #74: Lauan Shorea spp. (or Philippine mahogany)

20. Others

21. Avg. SG: 0.63 Heartwood: Pale rosy red to dark reddish brown, often purplish cast Grain: Typically interlocked producing even striped figure Growth Rings: Usually indistinct, but sometimes distinct d/t increased fiber density in outer latewood Pores: Medium to med. large, visible w/o lens, evenly distributed solitary and in radial groups of 2-8 Gum: Some pores w/red gum Parenchyma: Usually not distinct w/o lens; terminal parenchyma occasionally present, poorly defined Rays: Distinct on cross section Ray Fleck: On radial surfaces, ray fleck darker than background African Mahogany Khaya spp.

22. Avg. SG: 0.57 Heartwood: Dark golden yellow turning dark brown or nearly black Grain: Straight Odor: Characteristic spicy odor Growth Rings: Distinct; wood usually ring-porous Pores: Earlywood pores very large, solitary and in radial groups of 2-3; latewood pores smaller, not numerous, evenly distributed; vessels w/tyloses or with yellowish or whitish deposits Parenchyma: Terminal & Vasicentric Rays: Distinct w/o lens Teak Tectona grandis

23. Acknowledgement • Photomacrographs by Zach Kriess • Supplemental photomacrographs (those with white text showing scientific name) courtesy of the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory